1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to floor panels for "access" or elevated floors in which individual panels may be removed by the user to gain access to the area located beneath the surface of the floor. Access floors are used in a variety of applications, particularly in rooms which house computer equipment. Such rooms require a stable floor surface which can both support the sensitive equipment as well as provide easy access for the cabling associated with peripheral devices, user terminals and other equipment. The space beneath the access floor may also serve as distribution plenum in an air conditioning system.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Access floor panels known in the prior art are commonly constructed of metal, usually steel, which is often required to provide the necessary strength. Metal floor panels have several disadvantages which may render them unusable or undesirable in a variety of applications.
First, a metal floor panel is inherently heavy and may be quite difficult to handle depending on the size. This can be a serious problem during the installation of the access floor and where frequent, rapid removal of the panels is required. In addition, the weight of the panels increases the cost of the finished product due to higher shipping costs.
Second, a metal floor panel may not meet the user's specifications. For example, a user may desire that the surface of the access floor match or complement the floor coverings of adjacent areas. Metal panels may be painted a desired color, but a painted surface is subject to flaking and deterioration due to age, humidity and other factors. Paint particles can cause serious adverse effects on both air conditioning systems and sensitive electronic equipment.
A third disadvantage of metal panels is their tendency to promote acoustic reverberation due to the highly nonattenuating characteristic of the metal itself. Such reverberation can be propagated through the air conditioning system if the area beneath the floor is used as a distribution plenum.
Another disadvantage of metal panels is the difficulty in providing suitable openings or holes for the user's particular application. The user may desire one or more holes of different sizes and locations to accommodate cables and the like. It is often not practical to manufacture a metal panel with the proper openings. Instead, the panel must be bored and fitted with gaskets to protect the cables from the sharp edges of the bore.
Conventional metal panels typically require the addition of a separate edge trim to the perimeter of the panel. The edge trim is used to cover the gaps between adjacent panels and is highly susceptible to cracking or damage, especially when the panel is removed frequently.
Metal panels present an additional problem which is related to the process of cutting and fitting. In general, metal panels require special cutting tools and tend to create shavings or particles which can adversely affect sensitive equipment and air conditioning systems.
Finally, metal panels present a safety problem in that they tend to have sharp edges and corners. Typically, the user is instructed to use special tools to remove the panels in order to avoid injury. In practice, many users do not adhere to such instructions and risk serious injury by handling the metal panels.